Seat Ibiza
Registered from 1996 to 2025.
About this model
The SEAT Ibiza is a supermini car that has been manufactured by Spanish car manufacturer SEAT since 1984. It is SEAT's best-selling car. The Ibiza is named after the Spanish island of Ibiza and was the second SEAT model to be named after a Spanish location, after the SEAT Málaga. It was introduced at the 1984 Paris Motor Show as the first car developed by SEAT as an independent company, although it was designed by SEAT in collaboration with well-known firms including Italdesign, Karmann, and Porsche.
From the Wikipedia article SEAT Ibiza, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2014 1.4 petrol. 3,222 of 15,008 tests failed, 21%.
Better than 26% of 2014 cars. The typical one fails 17%, across 870 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 39% | 1,256 |
| Brakes | 35% | 1,128 |
| Tyres and wheels | 30% | 979 |
| Lights and electrics | 29% | 931 |
| Visibility | 22% | 717 |
| Body and structure | 9% | 300 |
The defects inspectors cite
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
- Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
- A tyre seriously damaged
- The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
Where it stands out against its peers
- Visibility: failed more often than 93% of 2014 cars — 22% of its 3,222 failed tests, where an ordinary 2014 car has 11%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Suspension — 39% of its failures
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- Brakes — 35% of its failures
- Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
- Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
- Tyres and wheels — 30% of its failures
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
- A tyre seriously damaged
- Lights and electrics — 29% of its failures
- A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
- Visibility — 22% of its failures
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
- Body and structure — 9% of its failures
When it starts failing
At 160–180k miles this one fails 34% of its inspections, against the 23% an ordinary car of the same age fails.
| Odometer | Failure rate | Rate | Its age | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–20k miles | 7% | 7% | 241 | |
| 20–40k miles | 13% | 11% | 1,726 | |
| 40–60k miles | 20% | 15% | 4,247 | |
| 60–80k miles | 23% | 19% | 4,818 | |
| 80–100k miles | 25% | 21% | 2,641 | |
| 100–120k miles | 27% | 23% | 961 | |
| 120–140k miles | 29% | 23% | 261 | |
| 140–160k miles | 34% | 23% | 68 | |
| 160–180k miles | 34% | 23% | 35 |
14,998 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.
Half of these have more than 60k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 1.0 petrol · 100 hp · 1146 kg · 2548 mm wheelbase · 5.3 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2020 | 1.0 petrol · 1171 kg · 2548 mm wheelbase · 5.9 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2019 | 1.0 petrol · 1172 kg · 2548 mm wheelbase · 5.7 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2018 | 1.0 petrol · 1127 kg · 2548 mm wheelbase · 5.0 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2017 | 1.0 petrol · 86 hp · 1125 kg · 2469 mm wheelbase · 4.4 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2016 | 1.2 petrol · 91 hp · 1140 kg · 2469 mm wheelbase · 4.9 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2015 | 1.4 petrol · 119 hp · 1146 kg · 2469 mm wheelbase · 5.5 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2014 | 1.4 petrol · 103 hp · 1168 kg · 2469 mm wheelbase · 5.7 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2013 | 1.4 petrol · 96 hp · 1156 kg · 2469 mm wheelbase · 5.8 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2012 | 1.4 petrol · 99 hp · 1157 kg · 2469 mm wheelbase · 5.8 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2011 | 1.4 petrol · 84 hp · 1130 kg · 2401 mm wheelbase · 5.8 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2010 | 1.4 petrol · 1133 kg · 2473 mm wheelbase · 5.9 L/100km (NEDC) |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
A12/01640/21
A software error in the control unit for the instrument cluster may result in no visual or audible warning being given when passengers in the rear seat do not have their seatbelt fastened, increasing the risk of injuries in the event of an accident. The product does not comply with the requirements laid down in the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users
SR/02845/25
If the front passenger airbag is deployed as a result of an accident, the gas generator housing may burst or components of the gas generator housing may come loose and cause serious or fatal injuries to vehicle occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users